Beginner shreds
- Thread starter Clint 55
- Start date
SavageRiffer
New member
Re: Beginner shreds
Dude, you're doing the right thing. I'm 95% self-taught, but went to a few lessons over the years. I recently went to a lesson to try and learn how to use intervals instead of scale shapes when I solo and learned something no one ever taught me before. It sounds like common sense, but if you don't know how or why you do it, then it won't help so much.
You basically set the metronome at a pace which you can comfortably play (accurately), and just play in time without stopping like using bends and vibratos to think of what to do next. You just keep on going at an even pace. The only thing is that instead of just playing 1,2,3,4 every beat or whatever, vary the notes per beat. So you're like 1,2,3,4 per beat like 60% of the time, and the other times you're squeezing in 5 notes or triplets. I never thought of it before, but it helps a lot with your phrasing. I'd suggest slowing it down just a little more so that every note is accurate.
Also, I'm telling you this as a student, not in any authoritative kind of way. I've become proficient in some ways, but I have so much to learn, especially with theory. I'm just sharing what I learned to do during some of my practice time at a recent lesson. You should also record some of your practice. You don't have to practice just with a metronome. Find a backing track at a speed you want to practice, and just shred with it. That's exactly what I did here in this clip. Just improvise and who cares what comes out.
Recorded Practice
I usually see one of two guitar teachers, and this was something Rusty Cooley told me to do. He says you don't even need to set the metronome, just play right at the point where it feels like you're going to mess up but don't. If you start messing up, then you're going too fast.
Dude, you're doing the right thing. I'm 95% self-taught, but went to a few lessons over the years. I recently went to a lesson to try and learn how to use intervals instead of scale shapes when I solo and learned something no one ever taught me before. It sounds like common sense, but if you don't know how or why you do it, then it won't help so much.
You basically set the metronome at a pace which you can comfortably play (accurately), and just play in time without stopping like using bends and vibratos to think of what to do next. You just keep on going at an even pace. The only thing is that instead of just playing 1,2,3,4 every beat or whatever, vary the notes per beat. So you're like 1,2,3,4 per beat like 60% of the time, and the other times you're squeezing in 5 notes or triplets. I never thought of it before, but it helps a lot with your phrasing. I'd suggest slowing it down just a little more so that every note is accurate.
Also, I'm telling you this as a student, not in any authoritative kind of way. I've become proficient in some ways, but I have so much to learn, especially with theory. I'm just sharing what I learned to do during some of my practice time at a recent lesson. You should also record some of your practice. You don't have to practice just with a metronome. Find a backing track at a speed you want to practice, and just shred with it. That's exactly what I did here in this clip. Just improvise and who cares what comes out.
Recorded Practice
I usually see one of two guitar teachers, and this was something Rusty Cooley told me to do. He says you don't even need to set the metronome, just play right at the point where it feels like you're going to mess up but don't. If you start messing up, then you're going too fast.
Last edited:
Clint 55
OH THE DOUBLE THICK GLAZE!
Re: Beginner shreds
Thanks for the advice! I actually have been doing that. Earlier today I was practicing the modes at 100 bpm going up one scale and down the other in 16th notes. I'll do what you said and play in time evenly and then add other rhythms. Stuff I've been practicing: I practice my scales slowly to get the shape down. Then speed it up and try to pick every note accurately. Then speed it up to where I'm tremolo picking and just try to get both hands to match up and try to get as many notes to sound as possible. Theory is probably my biggest strength, then I'm ok at melodic stuff, and advanced rhythm is the most difficult for me. So I try to break things apart into separate thoughts. The scale or arpeggio concept and then the rhythm or technique. I've been working a handful of scales but the ones which have been sounding the best for me are natural minor and minor pentatonic. I like natural minor because I can play several notes per string and get good economy. Blues scale sounds pretty good too. I really like the sound of the diminished arpeggio on the V chord but I don't have the economy to pick only 1 or 2 notes per string as quickly yet. I also like the thrash sounding pentatonic ideas that cross strings but again I don't have the economy to alternate picking between 2 strings quickly yet. I can sweep chord shapes fine. I'm still finding out what scales and chords work the best and what techniques I'm capable of executing. Guess I'll keep practicing. Thanks again for the advice! And good job on your tunes.
Thanks for the advice! I actually have been doing that. Earlier today I was practicing the modes at 100 bpm going up one scale and down the other in 16th notes. I'll do what you said and play in time evenly and then add other rhythms. Stuff I've been practicing: I practice my scales slowly to get the shape down. Then speed it up and try to pick every note accurately. Then speed it up to where I'm tremolo picking and just try to get both hands to match up and try to get as many notes to sound as possible. Theory is probably my biggest strength, then I'm ok at melodic stuff, and advanced rhythm is the most difficult for me. So I try to break things apart into separate thoughts. The scale or arpeggio concept and then the rhythm or technique. I've been working a handful of scales but the ones which have been sounding the best for me are natural minor and minor pentatonic. I like natural minor because I can play several notes per string and get good economy. Blues scale sounds pretty good too. I really like the sound of the diminished arpeggio on the V chord but I don't have the economy to pick only 1 or 2 notes per string as quickly yet. I also like the thrash sounding pentatonic ideas that cross strings but again I don't have the economy to alternate picking between 2 strings quickly yet. I can sweep chord shapes fine. I'm still finding out what scales and chords work the best and what techniques I'm capable of executing. Guess I'll keep practicing. Thanks again for the advice! And good job on your tunes.
SavageRiffer
New member
Re: Beginner shreds
Check out this guy on youtube named Martin Miller. This guy is a monster player. I mean like gifted by the gods, best of the best, Steve Vai level... He put up a video several years ago where he talks about doing faster pentatonic picking. You should check it out. Also, look at videos of Randy Rhoads playing. I've seen several Mexican shredders use this technique too and maybe it comes from a background in playing acoustic guitar, but you know how awesome Randy was with pentatonic licks. Anyway, he'll leave his index finger barred across several strings as he moves his other fingers while he's playing pentatonic scales and scale runs. Most of us move our fingers after every note, but they're very proficient and quick with that technique.
He'll keep kind of like this held down with his index finger:
--10----
--10----
--10----
--10----
So while he'd hold down this position with his index finger, he'd play something like this:
--13_10----10------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------10----10-13--|
---------13----13_10-13-10-----10--------------------------------------------10-----10_13_10-13----13---------|
-------------------------------12-----12_10-12-10-----10-----10_12_10-12-----12--------------------------------|
------------------------------------------------------12-----12--------------------------------------------------------|
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
This is something I've been tinkering around with a bit lately and the main things I noticed is that it lends itself really well to economy picking. Where in alternate picking you can articulate the notes better if you move each finger, but if you economy/sweep pick between pull-offs, you can get really fast this way.
Check out this guy on youtube named Martin Miller. This guy is a monster player. I mean like gifted by the gods, best of the best, Steve Vai level... He put up a video several years ago where he talks about doing faster pentatonic picking. You should check it out. Also, look at videos of Randy Rhoads playing. I've seen several Mexican shredders use this technique too and maybe it comes from a background in playing acoustic guitar, but you know how awesome Randy was with pentatonic licks. Anyway, he'll leave his index finger barred across several strings as he moves his other fingers while he's playing pentatonic scales and scale runs. Most of us move our fingers after every note, but they're very proficient and quick with that technique.
He'll keep kind of like this held down with his index finger:
--10----
--10----
--10----
--10----
So while he'd hold down this position with his index finger, he'd play something like this:
--13_10----10------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------10----10-13--|
---------13----13_10-13-10-----10--------------------------------------------10-----10_13_10-13----13---------|
-------------------------------12-----12_10-12-10-----10-----10_12_10-12-----12--------------------------------|
------------------------------------------------------12-----12--------------------------------------------------------|
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
This is something I've been tinkering around with a bit lately and the main things I noticed is that it lends itself really well to economy picking. Where in alternate picking you can articulate the notes better if you move each finger, but if you economy/sweep pick between pull-offs, you can get really fast this way.
SavageRiffer
New member
Re: Beginner shreds
Check it out. I can only play this solo using economy picking:
Mr. Crowley Solo 1
Check it out. I can only play this solo using economy picking:
Mr. Crowley Solo 1
Kamanda~SD
New member
Re: Beginner shreds
One thing that's going to clean things up big time is to work on your muting. There's a lot of noise going on there because of this. Both left and right hand are required for this but it will go along way in cleaning things up.
Also when it comes to 'practicing speed' its more beneficial and fun to do more than just run up and down scales. Learn some scale sequences etc. For example, if your doing sextuplets its a hell of alot easier to play 6 notes per string than it is to play 3 and have to switch strings more often.
One thing that's going to clean things up big time is to work on your muting. There's a lot of noise going on there because of this. Both left and right hand are required for this but it will go along way in cleaning things up.
Also when it comes to 'practicing speed' its more beneficial and fun to do more than just run up and down scales. Learn some scale sequences etc. For example, if your doing sextuplets its a hell of alot easier to play 6 notes per string than it is to play 3 and have to switch strings more often.
Kamanda~SD
New member
Re: Beginner shreds
Position movement or big stretches will hinder you here. If you look at a lot of shredders you will see they will use the three notes per string but use them in fours using some kind of pattern (Yngwie does this alot). For example (in A minor, high e string) instead of going A B C D (or 5 7 8 10) he'll go C A B C (8 5 7 8). Alternatively you could go A C B A (5 8 7 5). This way you move only after every 16th note grouping. When it comes to gaining speed it's all about efficiency.
Position movement or big stretches will hinder you here. If you look at a lot of shredders you will see they will use the three notes per string but use them in fours using some kind of pattern (Yngwie does this alot). For example (in A minor, high e string) instead of going A B C D (or 5 7 8 10) he'll go C A B C (8 5 7 8). Alternatively you could go A C B A (5 8 7 5). This way you move only after every 16th note grouping. When it comes to gaining speed it's all about efficiency.
